The Problem With Choices
by SeekMyFred
Summary: Lily sighed and put her fork down. 'I know you're used to having kids who know exactly what they want to do in life, but I don't. I don't even know if I like anything.'


Not always does one find herself confronted with such a problem. A problem in which one as an enormous number of options to choose from.

This was what had happened to one Lily Potter. She had just finished her seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry two years ago, had worked at her uncle's joke shop since then and was now about to step on the path to a career. This was the problem.

Her N.E.W.T. results had been quite above average. Her performance in Potions had been awful, but in Defence Against the Dark Arts, she was a natural. So obviously, people assumed that she would become an Auror.

'If you started with training around September, you'd be done by the time you're twenty one, and you could start work right away,' Harry Potter said to his daughter, who was watching him warily as he stuffed his mouth with potatoes.

'Dad,' Lily said, slightly cautiously, 'don't take this the wrong way, but I have absolutely no interest in being an Auror.'

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. 'No? None at all?'

'Nope.'

'Oh. Well, then why were we talking about it in the first place?'

'You were talking about it, Dad, not me,' Lily said, smiling at his absent-mindedness.

'Oh,' Harry said, sheepishly. 'So what are you interested in doing then?'

'Honestly?' she asked.

'Yeah, go on, tell me.'

'Nothing.'

'I'm sorry?'

Lily sighed and put her fork down. 'I know you're used to having kids who know exactly what they want to do in life, but I don't. I don't even know if I like anything.'

Ginny, who had been listening to the conversation carefully, said, jokingly, 'How about you just marry a rich bloke then?'

Lily grinned. 'Sure, Mum. But I'm serious, I have no interests.'

Harry was stumped. She was right: he was not used to having such children. He took a deep breath and sat back on his chair.

'Well?' Lily asked. 'Aren't you two going to help me figure this out?'

'Darling, I honestly have no idea what to help you with,' Ginny said, defeated. 'I mean, I can't force you to be interested in something. That comes naturally. Maybe you haven't been exposed to enough to be interested?'

'Mum,' Lily groaned. 'I've been exposed to enough. What I know seems like too much. Too many choices.'

'That's the problem with this generation,' Harry began, grinning. 'I was just left to fight a bloody madman. No one gave me a choice.'

Ginny laughed, as Lily said, with a small laugh, 'Okay, how long are you going to go on about that?'

'Hey, I was the one fighting,' he retorted.

'Ugh. Sometimes I wish you'd been those parents who'd just decided a career for me, without me having to choose.'

'You wouldn't be able to live with that, love, trust me,' Ginny said, rising from her chair. 'It's not a decision you have to make at this very moment, you know. It's true, everyone else seems to know where they're going, but you could take some time to figure things out.'

'Some more time?' Lily said, toying with the idea at hand.

'That's not a bad idea,' Harry said. 'See why I married this woman, Lil?'

Ginny laughed. 'Yeah, more time to organise your thoughts. Without working at the shop. Like a year off.'

Lily smiled widely. 'Hmm. I can travel.'

'You can,' her parents said, at the same time.

'I can visit Uncle Bill,' she said, nodding.

'You can.'

'Can I also have a shit load of money for this?'

'You ca- damn it. Ginny, you did not think this through.'

Lily was having a blissful, dreamless sleep, when suddenly, 'LILY! LILY! LILY!'

'What the fuck?' she groaned, as she turned over in bed.

'Lily, open up!' a shrill voice yelled.

'Piss off!'

'No, I will not piss off. Open the damn door NOW!'

Lily yelled in frustration and literally fell out of her bed. She didn't realise that she had moved so much in her sleep that she had gravitated to the edge. Annoyed and with a slight pain in her left shoulder, Lily unlocked her door.

'Merlin, you look like a mess,' her cousin, Rose said, as she walked into the room. Lily looked as though she could have throttled her. 'Don't look at me like that. If you had locked your door like a normal person, I could've opened it with a simple _Alohamora_ and not caused a racket like that. But no, you need _privacy_.'

It was true, Lily didn't like people barging into her room, and so, had been one of the first to buy these _Alohamora_-proof locks from her Uncle George.

'Are you done?' Lily asked, in a menacing tone.

'Oh, don't be so bitter.'

'Bitter? I'll fucking show you bitter,' she muttered, mutinously.

Rose seated herself on the bed and stared at her cousin. Rolling her eyes, Lily sat down next to her. 'What, Rose? What could possibly cause you to wake me up at this ungodly hour?'

'Ungodly? It's one in the afternoon, for heaven's sake!' she said, outraged.

'Will you get to the point?'

'Oh, yes. Well, Lil, do you or do you not notice an article of jewellery on me that was previously not present?'

'Whaaaat?' Lily asked, dazed, not having paid attention to any of Rose's previous words.

Irritated, Rose snapped, 'Just look at my finger, Lily.'

'Your finger? What about it? It's quite intact and there's a ring. Where'd you- oh my fucking god.'

Lily's face showed nothing but joy and Rose looked as though she was about to burst with happiness. Suddenly, unable to contain it, she let out a high pitched squeal.

'Fuck, Rosie,' Lily said, laughing. 'Congratulations! You're getting married!'

'I know!' she yelled, red in the face with excitement. 'And you're the first one I've told, so you can't tell anyone until I do. Alright?'

'Oooh, secrets,' Lily said, smirking, 'not one of my strong suits.'

'Lily!'

'Of course I won't tell anyone,' she said, laughing. 'I'm so happy for you, Rosie.'

Rose smiled and hugged her tightly. 'Second wedding in the family, huh?'

Rose frowned. 'Really?'

'No one since Teddy and Vic, remember?'

'Oh Merlin, you're right. Wow, I always thought I'd be the last or something.'

'Nah, I knew you'd be somewhere among the first few.'

'What about you?'

'What about me?' Lily asked, confused.

'Well, I'm getting married, so doesn't that make you think about you getting married?'

'No, it makes me think about you getting married.'

'Oh, you know what I mean,' she said, irritated that Lily was purposely being difficult, as usual. 'Don't you want to get married?'

'Not at this very moment, no.'

'Lily! I meant when you find someone you want to spend the rest of your life with.'

'Well, there's the thing. I don't get how I could ever decide that this one person is who I want to be with forever or whatever. I mean, it's your entire life. It's a huge decision, not one I'd ever want to make.'

'But,' Rose said, clearly not understanding Lily, 'But what if it's the right person?'

Lily sighed, realising that this discussion could go on forever. 'Rose, let's just stick to you for now, yeah? I'm not in the mood for an argument and Merlin, I haven't even brushed.'

Rose made a look of disgust. 'Oh now you give me a look?' Lily asked, indignantly.

'Just go brush.'

Two hours later, Lily and Rose were walking on the sunny streets of Diagon Alley, having just had a good lunch at The Leaky Cauldron.

Rose had just ended her narration of how Luke Rand, her fiancée, had proposed to her. Personally, Lily thought it was disgusting. She never was a romantic, and Luke's proposal was simply too sappy. But Rose loved it and for her sake, Lily said that it sounded beautiful.

They walked for a few minutes in silence. Rose was literally emanating a glow of ecstasy. Lily smiled to herself at how happy her cousin was.

'Rose Rand,' Lily said, grinning at how unusual and funny it sounded.

'Oh, shut it.'

'So why haven't you told anyone else yet?'

'Well, it's kind of embarrassing,' Rose said, turning red as she faced Lily.

'All the more reason to tell me.'

'Promise not to laugh? Um, it's sort of the thrill of keeping it a secret.'

Lily stopped in her tracks and burst out laughing.

'You promised!' Rose said, shrilly.

'I did no such thing,' Lily said as she wiped the tears from her eyes, and continued to laugh.

'It isn't that funny, Lily.'

'Oh trust me, Rose, it is.'

About five minutes later, Lily calmed herself. 'So,' she said, smirking. 'What's the thrill? The fact that you two can shag knowing that you're engaged and knowing that no one else knows?

Blushing, Rose said, 'Kind of, yeah.'

Lily gave a small laugh. 'You two are so made for each other.'

'Aha!' Rose said, stopping and pointing her index finger in Lily's face.

'Um, sorry?' Lily asked, slightly scared and amused at Rose's expression.

'How can you say that marriage is too hard a decision to make and also say that Luke and I are made for each other?'

'Kind of the way I just did,' Lily informed her.

'Lily, stop being so difficult. You're saying even if you find someone who's made for you, you wouldn't marry him?'

'How're you so sure it'll be a him?' she asked, winking.

'Of one thing I can be completely sure: you are as straight as can possibly be. I will assemble a giant room full of guys who can testify to that.'

Lily rolled her eyes. 'Rose! Will you please, please stop with this bullshit about me marrying someone? I'm nineteen! I have no intentions of getting married anytime soon. So just stop it.'

'Fine, I'll stop talking about it,' Rose huffed, visibly insulted.

'Thank you,' Lily said, annoyed.

'That doesn't mean I'm not going to help you find someone,' she said, with a small smile.

'What? Rose, I'm serious, don't do anything to meddle with my life. I am not joking,' Lily said, threateningly.

'You don't scare me, Potter,' Rose said, smiling from ear to ear. 'You will have your perfect man very soon indeed.'


End file.
